Veteran / Current or Former Military Member / Spouse / Widow or Dependent In-Processing Fact Sheet
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Transitioning from the rigors of military culture to a civilian setting, after serving either at home or in theatre, presents many logistical challenges, especially now: the GI Bill provides more funding to more people than ever before, and the various service branches are developing / implementing new systems to help you keep track of your educational goals. We want to let you know that you are not alone in this process and that there is a network of dedicated individuals on campus to help you and answer your questions. The information below should help you get started, and there is a list of contacts should you encounter any obstacles on your way.
OBTAINING YOUR CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY (COE)
The first step in enabling Longwood to help you with your military benefits is obtaining your certificate of eligibility (COE). Please note: This is different from your NOBE! You'll need your NOBE to file for your COE, so keep a copy of it handy.
If you fall under Chapter 33, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, obtaining your certificate is fairly straightforward, but it can be a lengthy process (45+ days). Regardless of your branch of service or whether you served at home or in theatre, you need to apply for your COE as soon as you know you plan to apply for college. (If you do not have one when classes start, an enrollment certification can still be processed on your behalf by the Registrar’s Office.)
What you need to do next depends on what Chapter you fall under (1606 Montgomery GI Bill—Selected Reserves; 1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program—REAP; 30 Montgomery GI Bill—Active Duty; 32 Post Vietnam Era—VEAP; 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill, 35 Survivors and Dependents; or other).
Before you switch chapters and apply for Chapter 33, make sure that your benefits will be higher under Chapter 33 (some have found out too late that their benefits were better under their old chapters). Once you apply for Chapter 33 benefits, you are automatically enrolled and can not repeal that decision.
To apply for Chapter 1606, 1607, 30, 32, or 33, you’ll need to fill out form 22-1990.
To apply for Chapter 35 benefits, you'll need to fill out form 22-5490.
To determine which Chapter you fall under, contact your unit’s Education Benefits Officer or go to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Education Benefits website.
ONCE YOU HAVE OBTAINED YOUR COE (Remember: this is different from your NOBE)
You’ll want to keep this document, just like all of your other military records, in a safe place (some choose a safety deposit box at a bank). You’ll need to provide copies of your COE to several departments on campus, so it’s a good idea to make additional copies to keep on hand.
Take a copy of your COE directly to Ms. Amy Spencer in the Registrar’s Office (434.395.2758; Barlow 101C). She is responsible for certifying your enrollment and verifying your attendance on behalf of the school (you may have individual orders to verify your attendance through your own channels as well).
Take a copy of your COE directly to the Financial Aid Office (434.395.2077; Lancaster G05). They’ll need to keep a copy on file in case there are any questions concerning your account.
If you receive Tuition Assistance (TA), take a copy of your COE to Karin Warner (434.395.2068; Lancaster 205). She processes your TA separate from your “regular” GI Bill benefits.
TUITION ASSISTANCE
In order to assist you with your education goals, various branches of the military are now developing / implementing websites that allow you to register for classes and apply for your tuition assistance online. The Army recently unveiled the Army Continuing Education System (ACES) through GoArmyEd (www.goarmyed.com) to serve just this purpose.
Longwood is recognized as a Non-LOI university through GoArmyEd, and if you are an active, reserve, or guard member of the Army, you must use GoArmyEd to apply for tuition assistance.
If you find that your branch of service is using or is going to begin using a new system for verification, please let Longwood know so we can keep other students and our administrative offices updated! You can contact Ms. Susan Stinson (804.306.9406 or stinsonsc@longwood.edu) to notify us of the change. We request this of you because the university is not always alerted to the changes being made by the various branches of the military.
PAYMENT
Once you are in the system and the VA has begun issuing your payments on a regular basis, you should not experience major delays between payments (from one semester to the next). The first time you submit your paperwork, however, you may experience and should prepare for significant and extended (from 45+ days to several months) delays in payment. The VA is currently inundated with GI Bill requests for payment, and at any given time, they may be 50,000 – 75,000 claims behind.
Longwood understands this issue as well as your frustration with these delays, and the Registrar’s Office and Financial Aid Office have systems in place to work with you as both you and the school wait on payment. If you live off campus, however, you will want to have savings in place to cover your cost of living needs until your GI Bill benefits kick in.
COURSE EQUVALENCIES
Often your military training will qualify you for college course credit, known on campus as equivalencies. Even BCT qualifies! These credits may or may not apply toward your major, but they will serve, in most cases, as electives.
In order to obtain your equivalencies, you need to get a copy of your military transcripts, which you can find easily at one of the following sites:
Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS)
https://www.aartstranscript.army.mil/
Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART)
https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/transcript.html
Air Force Request Forms (Transcripts)
http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/transcripts.asp
Coast Guard Military (Transcripts)
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cgi/ve/official_transcript.asp
VERIFICATION
Once you obtain your military transcripts, you’ll need to take them by Longwood’s ROTC office (434.395.2136; Ilyer 102) and have Sgt. Huntsinger review them. The ROTC office is not always open, however, and you’ll need to contact them to see when they’ll be available.
It may take five business days before your equivalencies can be determined and passed on to Ms. Amy Spencer in the Registrar’s Office. She is in charge of manually updating your course records.
VETERANS SERVICES
On the first Friday of each month, a Veterans Services member is available at our branch of the Virginia Employment Commission (434.392.8871). The office is located next to Sunchase Cinemas.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Tuition Assistance: Ms. Karin Warner, Lancaster 205, 434.395.2068
Registrar’s Office: Ms. Amy Spencer, Barlow 101C, 434.395.2758
Financial Aid: Lancaster G05, 434.395.2077
Transcripts / Course Equivalencies: Sgt. Huntsinger, Iler 102, 434.395.2136
Longwood Student Veterans, Faculty Advisors: Ms. Susan Stinson, Stevens 103, 804.306.9406 and Dr. John Miller, Grainger 06, 434.395.2161.
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Last modified: Friday, 12 February 2010, 05:17 PM